Loom



.March 21, 1944 O HUNT 2,344,777

LOOM

Original Filed March 31, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l mam fls wm 404 ATTORNEYSMarch 21, 1944. J. o. HUNT 2,344,777

LQOM

Original Filed March 31, 1943 4 Sheets-She et 2 ATTORN EYS J. O. HUNTMarch 21, 1944.

LOOM

Original Filed March 31, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS March 21,1944.M1 H T 2,344,777

LOOM

Original Filed March 31, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar.21, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Shoals Manufacturing 00., WareShoals, S. C

a corporation of South Carolina Original application March 31, 1943,Serial No. 481,247. Divided and this application June 26, 1943, SerialNo. 492,387

11 Claims.

This invention relates to looms in which heddle frames are raised andlowered to produce warp sheds by means of a shedding motion whichincludes treadles connected to the frames, and is concerned, moreparticularly, with a novel shedding mechanism for such looms, by the useof which the weave of the fabric being produced may be varied atintervals. The loom of the invention may be employed in the productionof fabrics made up of recurring weaves or various kinds and, forpurposes of explanation, a form of the new loom suitable for the weavingof a fabric consisting of alternating lengths of plain and tubular goodswill be illustrated and described in detail. It is to be understood,however, and will be apparent that the utility of the invention is notlimited to the production of that specific fabric.

Heretofore various looms capable of weaving alternate sections of goodsof different weave, and sometimes referred to as bag looms, have beenproposed and some of those looms have been put into practical use. Thecommercial bag looms with which I am familiar have the limitation thatthey cannot be readily adjusted to produce small variations in thelengths of the different sections of the fabric and, therefore,practical considerations restrict the variety of their output. Otherlooms proposed have apparently not gone into use because of suchobjectionable features as poor mechanical construction which wouldresult in their being frequently shut down for repair and adjustment.

The present invention is,accorclingly, directed to the provision of aloom for the production of a fabric made up of alternate sections ofdifferent weave and is superior to prior looms in that it is of simplerugged construction so that it may be operated for long periods withoutinterruption for repairs. The shedding motion employed is easy tomaintain in working condition and it is operated wholly by mechanicalmeans and may be controlled by various pattern de vices. I prefer to usetha'tdisclosed in my copending application Serial .No. 481,247, filedMarch 31, 1943, of which the present application is adivision.

A loom constructed in accordance with the principles of the inventionincludes a plurality of heddle frames, for example, four, and a treadleconnected to each of the frames. Two of the treadles are provided withindividual actuating cams by which thetreadles are raised and loweredand one of thesertreadles isprovided with means by which the twotreadles can be connected together so as to be raised and lowered inunison by both the cams. The remaining two treadles are not actuateddirectly but associated therewith are three levers, each of which has anactuating cam. Means are provided by which the treadles of the secondpair can be connected individually to two of the three levers to beraised and lowered therewith or both treadles can be connected to thethird lever. The means by which the treadles of the first pair areconnected together and by which the treadles of the second pair areconnected to separate levers or to the same lever are actuated by meansunder the control of a pattern device.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the treadlemechanism on the line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views on the line 33 and 4-4, respectively,of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevational views of cams used in that part of theapparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, are views in side elevation of. the treadles,levers, and associated operating parts.

The loom illustrated in the drawings includes four heddle frames, notshown, connected in the usual way to treadles 2|, 22, 23, and 24, whichare mounted for swinging movement on a rod 25 supported on a suitablepart of the loom structure. Treadle 21 is provided with a roller 26mounted at the top of a box 21 in position to be engaged by a cam on theloom cam shaft and the treadle also carries a pair of plates 28 attachedto its opposite faces and extending downward, the plates having slots 29extending lengthwise of the treadle. The hub 30 of the treadle isprovided with a depending bracket 3| through which extends a rod 32 andthe rod is provided with a pin 33 which extends through the slots 29 inplates 28. The pin is provided with rollers engaging the walls of theslots and the pin extends outwardly past plate 28 on the side towardtreadle 22 and carries a roller 34 on its exposed end.

Treadle 22 is provided with a box containing a roller 35 engageable by acam on the cam shaft and the box is formed with an extension 36 having arecess 36a so placed that, when rod 32 on treadle 2| is moved to itsinner position toward the hub of the treadle, roller 34 on pin 33 willlie within the recess. When the parts are in this position, the treadles2| and 22 are connected together by the pin and are operated as a unitby the cams acting on rollers 26 and 35. When rod 32 and pin 33 are intheir outer positions, roller 34 on the pin is outside the recess 35aand the treadles are operated by their individual cams.

Lying between treadles 22 and 23 is a lever 31 pivotally mounted at oneend on rod 25 and provided with a box containing a roller 38 engageableby a cam on the cam shaft. Beyond the box, the lever has an extension 39in which is formed a vertical slot 40. The treadle 23 is not equippedwith a cam roller but is provided with a pair of depending plates 4|having lengthwise slots 42. At its hub, treadle 23 is provided with abracket 43, through which extends a rod 44 having a pin 45 extendingthrough slots 42 in plates 4| and having rollers running on the walls ofthe slots. The pin 45 projects outwardly beyond both plates and it isprovided with rollers 46 at its ends. When rod 44 is moved outwardly sothat pin 45 lies at the outer ends of slots 42, the roller 46 at one endof the pin lies beneath the extension 39 on lever 37 as shown in Fig. 2,so that treadle 23 will be raised and lowered with lever 31 as thelatter is operated by its cam.

Between treadles 23'and 24 is a lever 41 provided with a box 48, inwhich is mounted a roller 49 engageable by a cam on the cam shaft. Theouter end of the box terminates in an extension 55 and, when pin 45 onrod 44 on treadle 23 is at the outer end of slots 42, one of the rollers45 at the end of the pin lies outward beyond extension 55, while theroller at the other end of the pin lies beneath extension 39 on lever33?. When the rod 44 is moved inward, one roller 45 on the pin liesbeneath extension 59 while the roller 45 at the other end of the pin isaligned with the slot 40 in extension 35. on lever 3i. Thus, as rod 44is moved in or out, pin serves to connect treadle 23 either to lever 37or to lever 47 to. be actuated therewith.

Treadle 24 is of the same construction as treadle 23 in that it has noroller engageable by a cam but is provided with a rod 44a similar to rod44 and with a pin having rollers lying within slots in plates dependingfrom the treadle and also having rollers at its ends outside the plates.When the pin on treadle 24 is in its outer position, the roller 5| atone end lies beyond extension 56 on lever 4'! and treadle 24 isindependent of lever 47. When the pin is at the other end of the slot,one of the rollers 5| on the pin lies beneath extension 55 so thattreadle 24 is then connected to lever 4'! to be actuated therewith. V 7

Next to treadle 24 is a lever 52 provided with a box 53 having a roller54 engageable by a cam on the cam shaft, the box terminating inextension 55 provided with a vertical slot 55. When the pin on treadleis in its outer position, one of the rollers 5% on the end of the pinlies beneath the extension 55 on lever 52 so, that treadle, 24 and lever52 are actuated together. When the pin on treadle 24 lies in its innerposition, the roller 5|. on the end, of the pin is in 51 fast on atubular shaft 58 mounted in approregistry with the slot 56 on lever 52and, at the 7 priate brackets on the loom frame. Within shaft 58 is ashaft 59 extending beyond the end of shaft 53 and provided with a pairof arms 50, a which are connected, respectively, to rods 44 and Mo ontreadles 23 and 24. The position of rod 32 is thus determined by theangular position of shaft 58 and rods 44 and 44a move in unison andtheir positions are determined by the angular position of shaft 59. Asthe positions of rods 32, 65, and 60a determine whether or not treadles2| and 22 operate independently or are connected together and whethertreadles 23 and 24 are connected to their respective levers 31 and 52 orboth are connected to lever 41, it will be apparent that the action ofthe treadles and levers are controllable by the shifting of shafts 58and 59 to different angular positions.

The cams for actuating the treadles and levers are mounted on a shaft 6|which extendsover the tops of the rollers on the treadles and levers.Cam 6|a acting on roller 26 on treadle 2| and cam 62 acting on roller 35of treadle 22 are alike but are so mounted on shaft 6| as to be out ofphase. Cam shaft 6| makes one revolution for each four picks woven intothe fabric and cams Bla and 62 are of such form that, as the cam shaftrotates, they depress their respective treadles and thus raise theheddles connected thereto one pick out of four. The heddles connected totreadles 2| and 22 may thus be considered to be up for one pick and downfor three picks in each cycle of four picks. When treadles 2| and 22 areconnected together by pin 33 controlled by rod 32, cams 6| and 62 bothoperate on both treadles, and the treadles are up and down for alternatepicks.

Cam 63 acting on roller 38 of lever 31 has such a shape that the leveris down for three picks and up for one in each cycle of four picks andcam 64 acting on roller 54 of lever 52 has the same shape as cam 63 butis 180 out of phase therewith. Cam 65 acting on roller 49 of lever 41has a shape such that the lever is alternately up and down forsuccessive picks. When rods 44 and 44a on treadles 23 and 24 are shiftedsimultaneously by rocking shaft 50 to their outer positions, so thattreadle 23 is connected to lever 31 and treadle 24 is connected to lever52, the treadles are down for three picks and up for. one out of eachcycle of four picks and are out of step 180. When rods 44 and 44a aremoved to their inner positions, treadles 23 and 24 are both connected tolever 41 and are alternately up and down for successive picks.

In the weaving of tubular fabric, treadles 2| and 22 are disconnectedand treadles 23 and 24 are connected, respectively, to levers 3! and 52.With this arrangement, three sets of 'warp threads are disposed at oneside of each shed and. one set at the other side and the loom producestwo fabrics connected at the selvages to form a tube. When levers 2| and2-2 are connected together and treadles 23 and 24 are both connected tolever 41, each shed contains two sets of warp threads ateachsld'e-andthe fabric woven is plain goods.

' bearing against one of the cams.

The changeover from one type of weaving operation to the other iseffected by th rocking of shafts 58 and 59 by means of a pair of cams68, 61 which are connected together but loose upon a shaft 68, which issuitably supported on a loom frame and driven through gearing 89 fromthe main drive shaft of the loom. A ratchet wheel 18 is mounted looselyon shaft 68 at one side of the cams and is connected to the cams sothat, as the ratchet wheel is advanced, the cams are likewise advanced.At the other side of the cams on shaft 68 is a disc H, which is fast tothe cams and loose on the shaft and has peripheral depressions in whichmay be seated a roller 12 on a spring pressed arm 13. The entrance ofthe roller into one of the depressions serves to prevent over-running ofthe ratchet wheel and cams.

The ratchet wheel is advanced by a pawl 14 on a lever 15 pivoted on asuitable part of the loom frame and the lever is provided with a roller16 held against the surface of a cam 17 fast on shaft 68 by means of aspring 18 acting on the lever. As cam 11 rotates, it advances the pawltwo steps per revolution and, in the second step, the pawl, if free todo so, will engage a tooth on the ratchet wheel and advance the wheeland cams 66 and 6! by one step.

The cams control the positions of shafts 58 and 59 and, for thispurpose, each shaft is provided with an arm 19 provided with a roller 80The shape and arrangement of the cams is such that, on each double stepin the movement of the ratchet wheel, each cam shifts its shaft 58 or 59from one position to the other and a change in the manner of actuationof the treadles is effected. The cams, though similar, are securedtogether in offset relation so that the rocking of shafts 58 and 59 withaccompanying movements of rods 32, 44 and 44a will take place when thetreadles or levers are not being depressed by their cams so that theconnecting pins on the rods will not undergo strain.

Shaft 68 rotates continuously while the loom is running and lever 15 isdepressed by cam 11 once per revolution of the shaft. If pawl 14 werepermitted to act each time shaft 15 is depressed,

the mode of operation of the loom would continually change and thesections of plain and tubular goods would be extremely short. In orderthat the sections may be of proper length, the pawl is prevented fromacting on the ratchet wheel except at the desired intervals and, forthis purpose, the pawl is kept free of the ratchet wheel by a guard 8|formed as one end of a lever 82 pivoted on rod 83 supported in anyconvenient manner, the rod also serving as a pivot for arm 13. The otherend of lever 82 is connected by a link 84 to a pattern mechanism ofsuitable form, such as that illustrated in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 481,247, filed March 31, 1943. Under the control of thepattern mechanism, the lever 82 is swung to render guard 8| operative orinoperative, as the pattern may determine, and when the guard isinoperative, the pawl 14 is effective to advance cams 68 and 61 by onestep so as to change the manner of actuation of the treadles.

In the operation of the apparatus, the treadles and their associatedheddle frames are raised and lowered to produce the sheds and the numberof sets of warp threads in the two sides of each shed depends upon themanner in which the treadles are actuated; that is, on whether treadles2| and 22 are connected together or disconnected and on whether treadles23 and 24 are connected to their respective levers 31 and 52 or both areconnected to lever 41. The changeover in the operation of the treadlesoccurs whenever cams Stand 61 are advanced and such advance'iscontrolled by the pattern device. By varying the action of the device,the loom can be controlled so as to weave alternating sections oftubular and plain goods with the sections of varying lengths, asdetermined by the setup of the pattern device. The changeover in thetreadle action is effected wholly by mechanical means and, as thechangeover occurs at the proper instants in the loom operation so thatno strains are imposed on the connecting pins, the mechanism is notsubject to damage and can be run for long periods of time withoutrequiring repair or adjustment.

I claim:

1. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, a pair of levers, cams for lowering theindividual levers, means for connecting the levers to respectivetreadles of the second pair, a third lever, a cam for lowering the thirdlever, means for connecting the third lever to both treadles of thesecond pair, and means for operating the several connecting means.

2. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, three levers, cams for lowering theindividual levers, means operable in alternation to connect the treadlesof the second pair respectively to two of the levers and to connect bothsaid treadles simultaneously to the third lever, and individual meansfor operating the connecting means associated with the two pairs oftreadles.

3. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means on one of the treadles operable to connect the treadles togetherto be lowered in unison by both the cams, a second pair of treadlesadapted to be connected to heddle frames, three levers, cams forlowering the individual levers, means operable alternatively to connectthe individual treadles of the second pair, respectively, to two 'of thelevers to be lowered therewith and to connect both treadles of thesecond pair to the third lever to be lowered in unison therewith, andseparate means for controlling the action of the connecting means.

- 4. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means on one of the treadles operable to connect the treadles togetherto :be lowered in unison by both the earns, a second pair of treadlesadapted to be connected to heddle frames, three levers, cams forlowering the individual levers, means on the respective treadles of thesecond pair for alternatively connecting said treadles, respectively, totwo of the levers to be lowered therewith and connecting said treadlesto the third lever to be lowered in unison therewith, and separate meansfor controlling the action of the connecting means.

5. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, three levers, cams for lowering therespective levers, a member carried by each of the treadles of thesecond pair, said members being movable between different positions, inone of which the members connect their treadles, respectively, to twodifferent levers to be lowered therewith, and in the other of which themembers connect their treadles to the third lever to be lowered inunison therewith, and means for moving the three members.

6. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles, amember on one of the treadles movable to and from a position in which itconnects the treadles together to be lowered in unison by both cams,means for moving said member to and from said position, a second pair oftreadles adapted to be connected to heddle frames, three levers, camsfor lowering the respective levers, a member carried by each of thetreadles of the second pair, said members being movable betweendifferent positions, in one of which the members connect their treadles,respectively, to two different levers to be lowered therewith, and inthe other of which the members connect their treadles to the third leverto be lowered in unison therewith, and means for moving the membersassociated with the treadles of the second pair.

7. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles, amember on one of the treadles movable to and from a position in which itconnects the treadles together to be lowered in unison by both cams, arod attached to said member for moving it, a second pair of treadlesadapted to be connected to heddle frames, three levers, cams forlowering the respective levers, a member carried by each of the treadlesof the second pair, said members being movable between differentpositions, in one of which the members connect their treadles,respectively, to two different levers to be lowered therewith, and inthe other of which the members connect their treadles to the third leverto be lowered in unison therewith, a pair of rods connected respectivelyto the members on the treadles of the second pair, and separate meansfor moving the first rod and the pair of rods.

8. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, a pair of levers, cams for lowering theindividual levers, means for connecting the levers to respectivetreadles of the second pair, a third lever, a cam for lowering the thirdlever, means for connecting the third lever to both treadles of thesecond pair, and means under control of a pattern for operating theseveral connecting means.

9. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, a pair of levers, cams for lowering theindividual levers, means for connecting the levers to respectivetreadles of the second pair, a third lever, a cam for lowering the thirdlever, means for connecting the third lever to both treadles of thesecond pair, means for operating the several connecting means, includinga pair of cams, and pattern-controlled means for rotating the cams.

10. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles,means for connecting the treadles together to be lowered in unison bythe action of both cams, a second pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, a pair of levers, cams for lowering theindividual levers, means for connecting the levers to respectivetreadles of the second pair, a third lever, a cam for lowering the thirdlever, means for connecting the third lever to both treadles of thesecond pair, means for operating the several connecting means, includinga pair of cams, pawl and ratchet means for rotating the cams stepwise,and pattern-controlled means for controlling the action of the pawl onthe ratchet.

11. In a loom, the combination of a pair of treadles adapted to beconnected to heddle frames, cams for lowering the individual treadles, amember on one of the treadles movable to and from a position in which itconnects the treadles together to be lowered in unison by both cams, arod attached to said member for moving it, a second pair of treadlesadapted to be connected to heddle frames, three levers, cams forlowering the respective levers, a member carried by each of the treadlesof the second pair, said members being movable between diiferentpositions, in one of which the members connect their treadles,respectively, to two different levers to be lowered therewith, and inthe other of which the members connect their treadles to the third leverto be lowered in unison therewith, a pair of rods connected,respectively, to the members on the treadles of the second pair, a shaftconnected to the first rod, a second shaft connected to the pair ofrods, cams for determining the angular positions of the respectiveshafts, and pattern-controlled means for rotating the cams.

' JOHN O. HUNT.

